Xavi reaches milestone as Barca beat Betis 4-2
MUSCAT — The Oman Olympic (under-23) football team are unlikely to play a friendly match before their crucial London Olympic Games qualifier against Qatar on February 5.
Oman Football Association (OFA) Chairman Sayyid Khalid al Busaidy revealed this during a chat with the emedia representatives at Hotel InterCon yesterday. While stressing that the Olympic team is on right track as far as the preparations for their re- maining Group ‘A’ matches, he said: “It is difficult to arrange a friendly match before the London Olympic qualifier against Qatar.”
However, the technical team of the squad are free to make their own decisions, he said. “The technical team are free to decide on the number of friendlies and the teams that want to play. We from the administration cannot force any technical team of the national squads make decisions.”
Speaking about the national team, who are preparing for their crucial and final Group ‘D’ third round World Cup qualifier against Thailand on February 29, he said the ‘difficulties of our team are different from other teams’.
Referring to the availability of professional players in the preparations, he said: “For example Mohammed Sheiba is playing for Al Wuhda in the UAE and they may refuse to release the player whenever we need him.”
On the occasion, the OFA chief also thanked the emedia for their role in sports development while expressing his appreciation for online interaction of the football enthusiasts which is serving Oman football well.
While stating that Internet portals, blogs and social media sites are good for improvement, he regretted some rumours published on Internet which is termed as ‘incorrect’ reports.
He informed that Saif al Jabri was appointed to the National Teams Department after getting a release from Bankmuscat for a one-year period.
He also rejected the reports that Ahmed al Balushi was appointed as an expert stating: “He is working on a volunteer basis in addition to his regular work.”
The OFA chief admitted that there is a problem with the regular updating of the association website. “We have a good design but there is score for continues upgrading,” he said.
He revealed the intention to revive the weekly press briefings and also urged the emedia to attend the meetings regularly.
(Pictures by Mohammed Mahjoub)
MADRID — Barcelona playmaker Xavi celebrated his 400th league appearance by scoring the opening goal and Lionel Messi netted twice as the La Liga champions beat 10-man Real Betis 4-2 on Sunday to trim Real Madrid's advantage at the top back to five points.
Spain international Xavi, the first Barca player to reach the 400 milestone, clipped the ball high into an empty net in the 10th minute at the Nou Camp after a Cesc Fabregas shot had ricocheted back off a post.
Pep Guardiola's side were cruising when Messi added a second two minutes later but Barca conceded their first league goals at home this season when a battling Betis struck either side of the break to make it 2-2.
Betis defender Mario Alvarez was dismissed for a second yellow card 19 minutes from time before Alexis Sanchez ran on to a Xavi pass and fired a 75th minute third goal and Messi scored from the spot in the 86th following a Betis handball in the area.
"We managed to get through a very tough game," Xavi, a youth academy graduate who made his debut under former coach Louis van Gaal in a Spanish Super Cup game in August 1998, said in an interview with Spanish television.
"Betis also want the ball and they played well and made things pretty difficult for us," added the 31-year-old.
With just under half the season played, Real have 46 points from 18 matches thanks to their 2-1 comeback win at Real Mallorca on Saturday, with Barca on 41.
Valencia, who lost 1-0 at home to Real Sociedad on Saturday, are seven points behind the Catalans in third.
Barca's home form has been almost impeccable, winning nine and drawing one of their 10 games and scoring 43 goals and conceding two.
Away from the Nou Camp, by contrast, they have taken just 13 points from a possible 24 and Guardiola said this week they would have to improve on their travels if they are to catch Real and secure a fourth straight La Liga title.
Real's success in Mallorca was a club record 11th straight victory away from home in all competitions and they host Barca, whom they beat 1-0 in last year's final, in a King's Cup quarter-final first leg on Wednesday.
Athletic Bilbao improved their chances of playing in Europe next season when Fernando Amorebieta, Fernando Llorente and Mikel San Jose secured a 3-0 win at home to Levante earlier on Sunday.
Marcelo Bielsa's side climbed to fifth on 26 points, level with Osasuna but ahead on goal difference after the Pamplona-based club lost 2-0 at home to Racing Santander, their first defeat in seven games.
Bilbao and Osasuna are four points behind fourthplaced Levante, the season's surprise package, who briefly topped the table in October despite having one of the smallest budgets in Spain's top flight.
Ambitious Qatar-owned Malaga, one of Europe's biggest spenders in the close season, slipped to eighth, level with Sevilla and Espanyol on 25 points, after they were beaten 2-1 at struggling Sporting Gijon.
Former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy equalised for Malaga in the 88th minute before Oscar Trejo grabbed the winner in added time, although his side stay in the relegation zone.
Diego Simeone enjoyed a winning home debut as Atletico Madrid coach when his side thumped struggling Villarreal 3-0, a first victory in four matches for the capital's second club, putting them 10th on 23 points. — Reuters